Our Team of ERP Consultants

Jeff Carr is a sought-after expert in manufacturing technology. As a leading independent voice in ERP system selection and implementation, Jeff’s organizations have helped over 1,200 manufacturing companies select and implement new information systems, earning him a reputation as the leading expert on manufacturing software vendors and their products. Jeff’s results-focused career spans four decades serving process and discrete manufacturers. As founder and manager of Ultra Consultants, he leads his organization’s high-impact business process improvement programs that leverage today’s modern ERP technology. Jeff is a graduate of University of Illinois.

• Recent Post: ERP Vendor Selection: Who Knows You Best?

Charlie Schloff is a 25+ year veteran of the manufacturing and IT industries with extensive experience in executive management and consultative positions. He has led initiatives across a wide range of activities, including global business acquisition and integration, project/program management, enterprise IT strategy, and change management. Charlie is a high performance, quality focused, results-driven executive/consultant with a progressive career demonstrating collaborative leadership, vision, and business acumen. Charlie is a true leader and has successfully managed several organizations with P&L responsibilities throughout his career. His business acumen is supported by a broad background in designing and implementing comprehensive large-scale business transformation initiatives and pervasive technologies across multi-site organizations worldwide. On top of Charlie’s traditional business and technology leadership, he also incorporates experience in managing organizations with responsibilities in product & service design, marketing, sales, finance, human resources, engineering, and manufacturing to complement his business acumen. For his clients, Charlie is dedicated to delivering sustainable value through people, process, and technology initiatives that drive the achievement of the business goals, objectives, and expectations. Charlie has deep experience within the Automotive Industry with 20 years of experience working for Ford Motor Company. While at Ford, he held a wide-range of progressive executive positions in the areas of IT Operations, System Architecture & Development, IT Security & Compliance and served as an internal implementation consultant and program manager on a range of progressive executive positions in the areas of IT Operations, System Architecture & Development, IT Security & Compliance and served as an internal implementation consultant and program manager on a range of large scale projects including ERP, CRM, HRIS, PLM, BI, and Engineering Systems. Additionally, he held responsibilities for managing advanced vehicle program development and planning activities along with serving as the Divisional Director of Six Sigma and Lean focused on quality, cost, and overall business process improvement. In the second half of Charlie’s career, he diversified his background by serving as Director of Information Technology and Process Improvement for an International Food & Beverage Manufacturer and more recently, prior to coming to Ultra, held the positions of VP of Information Technology and Director of Corporate Quality for a Global Industrial Equipment Manufacturer. In parallel with his business responsibilities, Charlie served on Advisory Boards for two major software companies and also Ultra itself before joining as a full time Partner. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Detroit. He holds the following certifications: Six Sigma (MBB), CISSP, SOX, ITIL, COBIT, and PMP.

• Recent Post: ERP Implementations: Planning and Experience is Everything

Richard Sides has over 20 years technology-related operational experience assisting manufacturing and distribution organizations by improving their business processes and supporting information systems. Richard’s experience includes operational responsibilities, management consulting, ERP system implementation, and serving in a variety of senior executive management roles. Richard’s background includes significant experience in process and discrete manufacturing as well as logistics, distribution and supply chain management. Richard started his career in 1990 with Kraft Foods and was part of the pioneering efforts to introduce integrated supervisory and process control systems to Kraft’s production lines. He finished his 6-year career with Kraft by serving as the systems lead on the pilot implementation of Kraft’s Marcam Prism ERP rollout. In the late 1990’s Richard became APICS certified and moved into management consulting, working exclusively with manufacturing and distribution companies. This experience included developing IT strategies, designing production and inventory systems, implementing business process improvements, and ERP implementation project management. He has also served the role of Senior Vice President of Information Services for a multi-site manufacturing and logistics company where he implemented a more current system infrastructure and corresponding best business practices. Richard has also served as Senior Vice President Manufacturing and Supply Chain for a leading software provider. Richard has a BS in Computer Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from DePaul University.

• Recent Post: Six Tips for Successful ERP Projects

Scott Hanson is responsible for all of Ultra’s sales and marketing programs. Prior to joining Ultra in 2016, Scott’s 25+ year B2B software career included sales, marketing, and industry alliances, along with the delivery of consultative services to SMB and mid-size enterprises. He has held numerous senior marketing and sales leadership roles at ERP companies, including Epicor Software and Activant Solutions. Scott has extensive experience in building customer-focused sales teams that provide technology solutions, services and strategies to drive business process improvements and corresponding financial performance. With a consultative sales approach, Scott’s team collaborates with the customer in providing a compelling ROI proposition and long-term business partnership. Scott’s areas of expertise include enterprise software, supply chain, business intelligence, and professional & customer services. Originally hailing from Central Minnesota, Scott attended the University of Minnesota. He is an avid golfer, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kevin Stack has over 30 years of experience in Leadership, ERP, Retail Operations, Application Delivery, and Business Intelligence. Kevin spent thirteen years at Revco as Manager of Retail Systems Development, where he was responsible for the development of the retail supply chain and merchandising operation system. He successfully managed the completion of multiple system transitions as a result of business acquisitions and worked with business units through a multi-step, detailed reorganization. Kevin continued on to serve as Vice President, Infrastructure and acting CIO for OfficeMax, Inc. where he was responsible for all facets of Information Technology operations. Kevin streamlined technology operations, improved delivery and support quality, all while managing team of 235+ resources in multiple locations. During his overall time at OfficeMax, Inc., Kevin significantly reduced operating costs, increased service quality, improved server/storage consolidation, and work with a high availability ERP architecture. After OfficeMax, Inc., Kevin went on to be Vice President/CIO of Jo-Anne Stores, a $2 billion retailer, where he reported directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Kevin had responsibility for overall IT governance, performance and systems delivery, all while managing staff of 115. Kevin has led or been involved with successful major software implementations while at Jo-Ann Stores, OfficeMax, cSHARE Solutions, and his own company, KMStack Consulting. Kevin has many specialties, including executive leadership, strategic planning, ERP planning & implementation, business process management, project management, change management, and business intelligence. Kevin attended the ICM School of Business, where he focused on Computer Science and Business Administration.

Dennis Gilhooley has two decades of leadership experience in business process improvement, management consulting, ERP implementation, lean manufacturing, project management, portfolio management, sales management, education and technology training, and supply chain management. He has implemented growth strategies and innovative technology solutions for clients in private and public sectors. He was vice president of a precision manufacturer, managing all aspects of business management and company operations including strategic planning, staffing, new business development, communications, marketing, competitive positioning, and client management. Dennis led the company through a successful ERP implementation helping to increase sales by 80% while leading a lean manufacturing initiative, increasing employee productivity by 45%. As a management consultant in the Public Sector Operations Supply Chain Management service area with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM Global Business Services, Dennis was part of a team that managed a $500M IT Portfolio for the US Transportation Command. He provided strategic sourcing best practices for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), managed web-based procurement for the DLA, helped develop the mission-critical DLA Enterprise Portal, and provided business process improvement strategies for the US Navy Network Centric Innovation Center. Dennis has a BBA in Marketing from Loyola University, Chicago and a M.Ed. (Computer Science) from DePaul University. He is APICS – CSCP certified, PMI – PMP certified and an IBM trained Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

• Recent Post: Using the Right ERP Strategy to Prepare for Growth

Salli Churchill has over 20 years of experience in a variety of positions, including financial planning and analysis, business process improvement, software selection, project management, and ERP implementation. Prior to joining Ultra Consultants, Salli worked as a consultant for BDO Seidman and ISG helping clients improve business processes by evaluating, selecting, and implementing ERP and other business applications. Her experience spans a wide range of companies and industries. Most recently, Salli worked as an IT Project Manager for a mid-size manufacturing company in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she led a three-phased implementation of Oracle E-Business Suite R12. During that time, Salli also led the organization through several lean process analysis workshops, as well as implementations of their ADP Payroll, ADP Time and Labor, and Concur expense applications. Prior to consulting, Salli held various positions in financial analysis and financial planning and budgeting. Salli holds a BA degree in Finance from Michigan State University, and an MBA in Information Systems from Kennesaw State University. Salli is also PMI-PMP certified and is active in the West Michigan PMI chapter.

• Recent Post: ERP Add-Ons: What Else to Consider When Selecting a New Platform

Andrew Bolivar is a 15-year manufacturing and technology industry veteran with experience within manufacturing, management consulting, and the software industry. Andrew’s professional experience includes leadership in the redesign and implementation of plant floor procedures across multiple production facilities, and working in concert with operations and IT groups. Andrew also brings significant experience as a Presales Consultant for a leading software provider within the manufacturing and logistics channel. Andrew was the supply chain lead in a global JD Edwards implementation. Later he worked to develop and implement a formal S&OP cycle for a global retailer and manufacturer operating in over six countries. Andrew project managed the implementation of the forecasting system to support the planning processes. Andrew has extensive experience in ecommerce, including the full development and go-live of multiple consumer facing ecommerce sites. He managed the integration of ecommerce through the ERP implementation process. With Ultra, Andrew continues to provide leadership and project management for our clients seeking selection and implementation assistance. Andrew has conducted multiple, full scope ERP selections for both process and discrete clients in F&B, CPG, plastics, distribution, and other MTO/MTS industries. He has project managed full cycle ERP implementations, most recently with MS NAV for a national e-tailer with a global supply chain. Andrew holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign.

Aaron Olin brings over 20 of years of combined Corporate and Consulting experience across a wide range of verticals and company sizes. He started with a solid foundation in Logistics and 3PL management leading fast-paced air freight operations, trucking fleets and warehouses before advancing into Supply Chain and manufacturing. Aaron has a knack for organizing the complexities of warehouse and shop floor processes and building solutions to help all levels of the organization succeed. He is passionate about health and wellness and worked early in the initial high growth phase of the organic sector. Aaron has been involved in several complete supply chain redesigns as a Director of Supply Chain in Organic ingredients and cosmetics. Aaron's Consulting engagements include highly successful early stage nutraceuticals, complete business process improvement for several established eCommerce retailers as well as organizational development, coaching and mentoring from entry level staff to executives and founders. Aaron has spent his entire career as an early adopter of new technologies to solve real supply chain problems; using the simplest most elegant solutions available to achieve strategic objectives. Having years of experiences managing large, global teams in manufacturing, demand planning and customer service; he also understands and anticipates challenges across many functional areas in the organization. With a mix of experience in Private and Public companies Aaron is aware of how different actions in the Supply Chain affect Accounting, Reporting and Regulatory considerations. Aaron has a BA in International Relations from University of Southern California and GLS degree from California State University Long Beach. In his spare time he likes back country skiing, trail running and mountain biking.

Alan Newton has over 30 years of experience with enterprise-wide resource planning (ERP) solutions and project/program management leadership for mid-market and Fortune 2000 organizations.  With demonstrated and balanced capabilities in strategy, delivery, operations, business transformation, and value realization, Alan has held roles of increasing accountability within private and publicly held companies, and top-tier IT consulting firms.  Over his career, Alan has held various leadership roles such as Director, Managing Director; Vice-President, and CIO with accountability for both line-of-business operations and IT services. He is the former Corporate VP and CIO of American Tool Companies (now Irwin Tools and a brand of Stanley Black & Decker), and the former CIO and VP of Professional Services of Snyder Communications’ Consumer Marketing and Distribution Services (now an SBU of Havas Creative).  Both were newly created roles for Alan and reporting directly to the CEOs of the respective organizations. Alan has worked for and with various IT consulting firms including: Arthur Andersen; Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting); Andersen Business Consulting; Software Alternatives (Top-Tier IBM Mid-Market Business Partner); RSM US (formerly McGladrey & Pullen); AT&T Solutions; and several Oracle implementation Diamond and Platinum business partners. Some of the clients Alan has served include:  HNI Corporation; Dover Corporation; TriMark USA; Proctor & Gamble; Stryker Corporation; Pfizer; Mallinckrodt; Schering Plough; Navistar; Walgreens; Kraft Foods; and the Brunswick Corporation. Alan holds an MBA Magna Cum Laude in Operations Management and Finance from Loyola University Chicago, and a BSc in Physics, with minors in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, from Indiana University.  He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s “Leading Professional Service Firms” Executive Program.

Andrew Demetres is a certified Project Management Consultant offering more than 29 years of experience in Information Systems and Technology specializing in ERP transformations. He brings over 20 years of expertise in enterprise systems including 15 large scale multi-national SAP implementations since 1995. Andrew is best used in the roles of Senior Program & Project Manager, Analyst, Solutions Architect, and Change Management Specialist. He delivers from the beginning to the end of the transformation journey to ensure that strategic business initiatives are successful. Andrew is equally comfortable interacting at all levels of the organization and brings outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. Andrew has a thorough understanding of business and technology making him the correct choice for projects requiring executive sponsorship and cross-functional team leaders. He is adept at integration requiring change in business critical operations where adoption is key to success. Andrew has a deep background in implementing large scale systems and business change in major consumer products and retail companies such as Ralph Lauren, L’Oreal, Marc Jacobs, Nestle, Unilever, and Colgate Palmolive. He has hands-on experience with a range of ERP systems including SAP, JDA, Microsoft Dynamics AX/NAV/GP, and many other tools. Andrew obtained his MBA at Dowling College and holds a BS In Computer Science from Rochester Institute of Technology. His is PMI certified.

With a solid cross-section of industry expertise, Ultra's Senior Consultant Andrew Stein holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University, while also completing Information Technology Management coursework. Andrew’s professional education and experiences combined have allowed him to gain hands-on experience in business analytics, system analytics and design, decision modeling, logistics optimization, source selection, procurement, and project management. Andrew has experience as a Procurement Specialist with Schlumberger, in the Oil and Gas Industry, where he delivered high-quality procurement services on a day-to-day basis adhering to defined procedures and regulations, respecting quantity, quality, and timing to provide upstream operations with the ability to better cater to downstream customers. In addition, Andrew has worked as a Customer Logistics Services Intern with the Kellogg Company in the Food Processing Industry, and a Supply Chain Management Intern with General Dynamics Land Systems in the Defense Industry. While interning at Kellogg, Andrew prepared an Impact Analysis and Work Force Transition training material for the implementation of a 3PL, which was expected to lead to $150M in Inventory Improvement and $100M in Logistics Cost Improvement. He also designed and maintained Excel-based algorithms for the weekly Consumer Demand Reports, optimizing over 2,500+ product SKU’s which led to potential cost savings in production, aged goods, storage space, and re-marketing or redeployment of goods to minimize product loss.

Under the auspices of a strategic alliance with Ultra Consultants, Bill Bremer is a Principal with Kestrel Management’s Chicago area practice and heads Kestrel’s food safety consulting group. In his food compliance roles, he has led compliance and assurance activities to help many food industry companies meet FDA/FSMA, GFSI (i.e., BRC, IFS, FSSC22000, SQF), HACCP, EHS, and overall operations management requirements.­­­ Bill’s areas of expertise include:   Food safety/quality, GFSI schemes and standards (BRC, IFS, FSSC22000, SQF, FDA, FSMA, USDA), compliance, operational assessments/process optimization, sustainability, waste reduction, business planning/restructuring, EHS, product development and production planning/control, operations management development, procurement, organization design, ERP/information technology planning and strategy Bill holds a B.S. in Biology & Chemistry, Lake Forest College; Certificate in Business, Indiana University Kelley School of Business; Certified lead assessor for ISO 9000; a practitioner in TQM, Lean, and Consensus Decision-Making.

As a broad-based manufacturing and operations professional, Brad Staats has over 30 years of experience contributing to performance improvements that can be measured by increased productivity, efficiency, quality, throughput, revenues and profitability. His experience includes retail management, operations management, executive management and consulting for large and small firms in steel, musical instruments, heavy equipment, apparel, furniture, construction materials and other industries. He has experience with turnarounds and startups as well as improvements at well-established companies with revenues ranging from millions to billions of dollars. Brad has experience in ERP, Supply Chain/Materials Management, Lean Manufacturing, Project Management and integrating business and process systems in highly automated manufacturing environments. Half of his career has been in the steel industry involving systems integration and operations planning, and one third of his career has been in consulting in the areas of business process improvement with a focus on ERP implementations and Lean Manufacturing. At one point, Brad was instrumental in integrating seven steel plants into a single supply chain as part of an overall automotive strategy. The balance of his career includes being the President of one company and General Manager of another, which was a start-up business where they achieved steady state operations with international sales in under three years. Brad earned a BS in Administrative Management from the University of Arkansas and an MBA in Operations Management from DePaul University. Early in his career, he earned the CPIM certification from APICS. He currently serves on the advisory board for the NE Indiana Lean Network and enjoys playing classical music (percussion) and volunteering at an exotic animal sanctuary.

Brantly Chavis is a 20+-year manufacturing, business development and supply chain industry veteran with extensive experience in managing supply chain / manufacturing improvement projects, building sales teams and building/leading international teams. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.  His experience cuts across industrial, distribution, retail and manufactuing. Bantly serves manufacturers with deep domain expeience in Supply Chain / Operations Process / manufacturing engineering Lean Six Sigma Continuous improvement EHS process Strategic sourcing and procurement Brantly led a team as GM with the newly purchased Camus Hydronic business into total transition from current processes, financial documentation and HR practices to newly implemented business processes. He has also operationally managed a $130MM business driving $330K in deflationary activities, 98% on-time deliveries and double-digit productivity. As a Business Development leader he also helped drive sale increases 20% YOY. Also, executed a turn-around year for Home Depot Crown bolt, Supply Chain team with historic year and three product launches with 99% customer fill rates. Personally have been involved in 50+ Lean Six Sigma projects in all businesses he has been a part of working with. Leading the team while Driving Operational, Safety and Productivity improvements yearly has been a trademark.  Brantly holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Brent Soderstrom is a 20+-year manufacturing and distribution industry veteran with extensive experience in managing supply chain / manufacturing improvement projects and building and leading teams. Brent built and led a company-wide supply chain improvement team at HD Supply, delivering $20MM of benefits to the enterprise.  He also led supply chain, distribution and logistics at Crown Bolt, a division of HD Supply.  Brent held various roles at General Electric businesses, including GM of Logistics, Materials Manager, and Manager of Manufacturing Engineering.  He has led or participated in 100+ projects to improve supply chain and manufacturing operations.  He also led the start-up of four distribution centers and capacity expansions of three others. Brent is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

As Ultra’s Service Delivery Manager, Brian leverages two decades of experience in continuous improvement, ERP implementation, business process improvement, business and technology integration, release and change management, value stream and process mapping, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, application test management, ERP training, and project management. In addition, Brian has also led initiatives on design for manufacturability and concurrent engineering. Brian was the Integration Manager of a successful $75M+ global re-implementation of SAP ECC 6.0 from 4.7 across all business processes, and system modules in the nuclear power industry which included over 250 business users and internal and outsourced ERP team members. Brian’s experiences have spanned various manufacturing industries from nuclear power to global safety equipment, and from consumer electronics to metal stamping, injection molding, and tool and dies industries. His project management and integration activities have included SAP (FI/CO, MM, PP, SD, CRM, PS, HR, LSO, PM, QM, BW, Portal, ESS, MSS, MDM, BPC, GRC, and Solution Manager), SAP Business One, and BaaN (Now the engine behind Infor LN) Brian has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Penn State University with a Minor in Engineering Mechanics.  He is ITIL Certified from APMG International, Six Sigma certified from Sony and Fintek Consulting, and spent 2 years focusing on ERP lean manufacturing techniques working directly under a lean manufacturing consultant.

Cindy Linam brings to Ultra 20 years of experience in distribution and manufacturing. Focusing on building infrastructure to support company growth, she leads teams to be more efficient and institute best business practices. Cindy began her career with Georgia Pacific as a Plant Controller, and her responsibilities expanded to include Customer Service, Human Resources, Information Technology and Production Scheduling. She also served as Corporate Controller at a privately owned manufacturer and distributer of OEM Fasteners, Cindy worked extensively with ERP implementations and Acquisitions. Prior to joining Ultra, Cindy worked with a privately owned company with various operating units. Managing all IT and Accounting functions, the company completed several acquisitions and Cindy was the Project Manager for ERP Implementations. Heavily involved in Industrial Supplies distribution, other business units included Plant Services, offering onsite managed MRO Storeroom contracts with large manufacturers (often interfacing with various ERP systems). Leading cost savings initiatives through procurement and E-payables initiatives, Cindy turned the Accounting department into a revenue generator and served on MasterCard vendor’s Customer Advisory Board representing Mid Market companies in E Payable Technology Initiatives. Cindy holds a B.S. in Accounting from Auburn University.

• Recent Post: ERP Discovery Questions for Multi-Company Implementation

Under the auspices of a strategic alliance with Ultra Consultants, Dana is a proven leader providing consulting and project management to clients seeking business process design, improvement, and implementation. He uses his experience and insight to create systems and structures that link business operations and manufacturing production systems with effective and practical management solutions. Dana’s areas of expertise include: GFSI certification (IFS, BRC, ISO 22000, SQF); HACCP; internal audit; document management; food safety zoning; food-safe packaging; Total Quality Management; process design, improvement, and implementation; management system implementation; chain of custody; ISO 9001 Education: B.S. in Paper Engineering, Western Michigan University; numerous certifications in Total Quality Management; food safety certifications in advanced HACCP, BRC, ISO 22000 training and internal auditor, HACCP, prerequisite programs.

Danielle has extensive project management and leadership experience supporting Ultra’s manufacturing and distribution clients through the entire business transformation journey. As a Senior Consultant, Danielle successfully leads business process improvement, project management, risk assessment, evaluation and selection projects with outstanding results. She has experience driving business transformation for manufacturers in the food processing industry, consumer goods, building components manufacturing, complex manufacturing, medical device, industrial manufacturing and other sectors. These organizations have benefited from Danielle’s focus on delivering high quality and value throughout each project. Danielle earned her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Babson College where she graduated cum laude, double concentrating in Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics. Since joining the Ultra team, Danielle has successfully supported every aspect of the transformation lifecycle serving Ultra’s clients as Implementation Lead, Acquisition Lead, Integration Designer, BPI, Selection, and Implementation Project Manager for leading manufacturing and distribution organizations.

• Recent Post: NetSuite ERP Implementation: What Happens to the Consultants After Go-Live

David Buck has more than thirty years of experience managing the technical delivery of Information Technology projects. He offers expertise in solutions architecture, program management, project management, enterprise architecture, methodologies, software package selection, integration, implementation, and software development. In past years, David served as CEO of Zweave and managed the development of the company’s PLM product offerings, technical infrastructure, and professional services offerings. David managed 9 software development projects for the U.S. Government where he designed and built custom PLM and related technical specification software solutions. Prior to Zweave, David worked for leading technology and consulting firms including IBM, Deloitte, Symbolics, and NeXT Computer. He also founded Advis, an early Internet and web solutions companies where he led the delivery of over 50 custom object oriented web-based applications for large corporations. David earned a BS in MIS & Computer Science from the University of Dayton. He also received an Executive Leadership Certificate from MIT. David has founded an INC 500 Consulting Company, and a PLM Software Company. He is a member of EO, TEC, APICS, NDIA, and ASTM.

As a manufacturing and operations professional with a broad foundation of experience, Dave Lechleitner has worked for the past 30 years assisting small and mid-market manufacturers leverage technology and automation to increase performance, productivity, throughput, quality, efficiency, revenues and profitability.  His experience includes serving as vendor project manager on over 1,000 manufacturing ERP implementation projects.  He managed the training program for a Tier 3 ERP solution and re-developed the entire program from instructor-led, face-to-face instruction to a hybrid, blended approach leveraging web-based video and self-paced instruction.  Dave has extensive background in manufacturing cost accounting and assisted organizations in establishing financial cost controls.  He also has experience in adapting and implementing lean methodologies specific to high-mix, low volume environments.  He has been active in national manufacturing associations including serving as a chair to several standing committees of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association.  His is a regular presenter at both the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) and Fabtech.  He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Education with a specialization in cost accounting.  Dave is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Lean Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management from Kettering University.

David Mainor brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience in manufacturing operations in Fortune 100 companies, business process improvement, management consulting, NAFTA compliance, project management, negotiating, supply chain management and logistics optimization from his career spanning over 25+ years.  A veteran change agent, David has enjoyed using his skills in successful ERP and WMS implementations, incorporating methodology to support people who are embracing new technology. He has implemented numerous innovative improvement strategies including Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) projects in bi-lingual environments that have saved his employers and customers millions of dollars in operating costs.  Additionally, David served as a leader on a corporate task force charged with assessment of total transportation spending at multiple subsidiaries where he developed a streamlined procurement model yielding more than $12M in annualized savings.  David earned his BS in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a MBA from the University of West Florida and is a Certified Green Belt.  As a retired Naval Flight Officer, David has logged more than 1,000 hours in the F-14 Tomcat with over 300 carrier arrested landings. He and his wife reside in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dave Saunders has over 25 years of business experience helping mid-sized and large manufacturing and distribution companies improve their operations and underlying business processes. Dave has extensive experience in Information Technology. He also has a strong background assisting organizations in improving their efficiencies through more effectively utilizing people, processes and technology. His background combines depth in both operational responsibilities and management consulting, and has provided him with a vast knowledge of many industries and process areas. Dave began his career with Kraft Foods and spent 10 years working extensively in distribution and logistics, as well as sales and operations planning. He had various responsibilities at Kraft, the final being a Distribution Center Manager. Additional experience includes Manager of Logistics and Planning for a global electrical supplier, Director of Business Processes at a major international manufacturer of tape and other adhesive products, and Director of IT Governance for a $19B global leader in consumer and industrial products. Dave has a BS in Computer Management from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Illinois. He also received a Management Business degree from IESA Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

• Recent Post: Risky Business: Looking at ERP Risk

Debbie is an award winning, results-driven leader with over 20 years of exemplary accomplishments managing global adoption/change initiatives for Fortune 100 and 500 companies. She is recognized for creating industry “best practice” solutions, and as an articulate communicator with the ability to convey complex technical information in user-friendly terms and ready to tackle challenges and solve problems.  Debbie has experience working within the manufacturing, utilities, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, and government sectors. She brings extensive experience in identifying stakeholder needs, readiness, and risks associated with implementations and the solutions to help achieve optimum adoption of the initiative. She has experience leading the change management effort for JDE, Oracle, Microsoft, and Maintenance Connection implementations; as well as major business process changes not related to software changes.  Debbie has a B.S. in education from Murray State University; a Master of Education (M.ED.) and a certificate in Human Resource Development (HRD) from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Erik Hay has over 20 years of experience within Fortune 500 Companies leading large scale Global process and technology programs in areas of Field Service, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and Sales Operations. Erik has worked in both IT and Functional Leadership positions, allowing him to quickly address complex process and technologies integrations while balancing short and long term organizational goals. Erik is an excellent communicator at all levels of the organization and works with a high level of inclusiveness, energy and curiosity. Erik has a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.

Gary McGregor has over 30 years of business experience helping manufacturing and distribution companies improve their operations and underlying business processes. Both as a consultant and industry practitioner, he has considerable experience in implementing lean principles. Gary’s background couples experience in engineering and manufacturing operations and implementing business process continuous improvement programs in a variety of manufacturing operations. He has specific industry experience in aerospace and defense contracts, consumer products, plastics and electronics, and the production of heavy equipment. Gary began his career in engineering and was promoted to Division Manager of Industrial Engineering at General Dynamics. He also spent 5 years at Case Corporation as the Manager of Assembly Strategy where he introduced the framework for the use of lean techniques into the Case worldwide manufacturing operations (over 26 plants). Additional positions include working as Director of Manufacturing Operations, Director of Production, and Lean Manufacturing Manager. Gary has experience teaching manufacturing and business process improvement techniques at the college level and is also a regular speaker at manufacturing symposiums on topics related to Lean Manufacturing and Business Process Improvement. Gary has a BS in Industrial Engineering from Toledo University and an MBA from the University of Dayton and is a Registered Professional Engineer.

• Recent Post: Business Process Improvement Success Starts With Vision

Gregg Plummer is a 25-year veteran of the information technology industry. His work with ERP process areas includes quote-to-cash, sales enablement, procure-to-pay and hire-to-retire. Gregg has worked for major companies in the high technology manufacturing, professional services, financial services and government industries. Gregg's background includes systems selection and implementation; PMO operations management and leadership of internal IT organizations. He is skilled at working with business stakeholders to define operational capabilities; implementing operational process improvements; managing systems portfolios and defining the cross-functional roadmap to deliver new capabilities. In several large projects, Gregg has led the effort to identify significant process improvements; cost-saving technologies and the support of an international user community in change management operations.

Jodi Foster is a highly skilled executive consultant and practice leader with over 16 years of expertise leading enterprise strategic software development and business process initiatives. She is a recognized thought leader with advanced stakeholder and end-user relationship-building proficiency. Jodi brings extensive experience in project strategy, needs assessment, and gap analysis. She is focused on fostering relationships and providing seamless execution while yielding exceptional customer satisfaction. As a strategic client consultant with a solid business acumen and overall project vision, Jodi creates value-added innovative solutions to critical business needs and exceeds established business objectives. Jodi specializes in implementing ERP through complex, at-risk projects while creating critical phase measurements and establishing best practices. Jodi has a proven record of furthering and advancing the progress of overall project results. She has overseen projects and programs with budgets in excess of $70M.

Joe Velez has over 30 years of experience working in large, multi-national manufacturing companies. His background includes all aspects of supply chain management, program management, strategic planning, operations management, business process re-design, ERP implementation management, and Lean Transformation. Joe began his career with ALCOA as an engineer and held numerous positions across sourcing, operations planning, manufacturing, maintenance and strategic planning functions. During Joe’s tenure as the Chief Industrial Engineer for the ALCOA Mill Products business unit, he was intimately involved in design, development and roll-out of the ALCOA Production System which adapted to the tenants of the Toyota Production System to the process industry. As Director of Supply Chain for the ALCOA Aerospace, Commercial Rolled Products business unit, Joe led initiatives to transform a high-mix job shop into a virtual flow shop, reducing inventory by 25% while improving customer service by 30%. In addition, Joe successfully led the re-design and replacement of end-to-end business processes across all ALCOA’s North American rolling mills, completing a total of 11 ERP deployments delivering inventory and cost reductions. After leaving ALCOA, Joe joined Rio Tinto’s ALCAN division where he served as Director of Supply Chain, Procurement, Distribution and third party logistical partners in North, Central and South America. During this time, Joe led implementation of a new corporate Sales & Operations Planning process and led lean transformation initiatives which improved customer service by 27%, reduced procurement costs by $3MM and simplified raw material management driving an inventory reduction of 46%. After, Rio Tinto, Joe served as Vice President of Supply Chain at Oystar, a Packaging Equipment manufacturer, where he leveraged end-to-end supply chain simplification and lean concepts to improve customer service by 30% while growing the business by 30% year over year. Over the last four years, Joe has served as Director of Business Systems Transformation for HNI Corporation, an office furniture manufacturer, which leverages ERP to develop an end-to-end integrated business process framework across all operating companies to drive best in class performance levels. Joe holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico and has done extensive graduate research in the areas of lean manufacturing / transformation, factory physics, theory of constraints and High Performance Leadership. He has served on ALCOA’s Science and Technology advisory council, on the governing board of MIT’s Leaders for Manufacturing program as well as on advisory boards at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Wisconsin Quick Response Manufacturing Center. Joe is a founding member of the Industrial Engineering program at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. Joe has achieved certifications from Oliver Wight in S&Op, from APICS (CPIM) and is an ALCOA trained Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Jonathan Tompkins brings over 20 years of experience improving business results through ERP software and business process redesign. He has executed duties as lead Manufacturing Consultant and Project Manager on multiple ERP implementations from beginning to end. Working extensively with manufacturing companies and job shops, he has led teams to discover ways to map current processes and identify better processes to more effectively align with company priorities and goals. Jonathan is familiar with all areas of the manufacturing enterprise, working in various roles from cost accounting, to procurement management and business process improvement. He is particularly strong in helping companies with the Scheduling, MRP, and Production Management functionalities of ERP software. As both Project Manager and Consulting Manager, Jonathan has managed highly effective teams towards successful completion of both small, department-focused projects and enterprise-wide projects. Jonathan has been called in to help lead project turnaround efforts when others were struggling to gain ground. Jonathan enjoys cultivating productive relationships with customers leading to clearer communication, greater discovery of the best ideas, and a sense of partnership and excitement over what can be accomplished. Jonathan holds a B.S. in Accounting and Human Resource Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Kyle Breunlin, Ultra Senior Project Manager, is a highly experienced IT project/program manager, driving profit for industry leading corporations using best business standards, agile methodology, and in-depth technical system knowledge. As part of his successful career, Kyle secured multimillion-dollar contracts at Fortune 500 companies including Sony Electronics and Home Depot. Kyle consistently demonstrates top tier operations management skill backed by strong staff leadership and motivational strategies. Seasoned in recruiting and organizing top-performing cross-functional teams through comprehensive project lifecycle management expertise,  Kyle holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA – graduating with honors in Management; Management Information Systems and a minor in Spanish. Kyle holds certifications n the following areas:  PMI - Project Management Professional, PMI-San Diego Member, PMP;  Agile Certification – Certified ScrumMaster ® (CSM);  Project Management Connection, Executive Board Member;  Microsoft Certified Professional, 2004-Present; Formal SAP Software Certification, (HANA, PPM, BI, IM, PM, SD, HR, SEM, CRM, SCM, SRM)

Martin Moor is a 20+-year manufacturing and technology industry veteran with deep experience in managing complex information technology projects, teams and change initiatives. Marty helped to integrate Invacare Corporation into the global supply chain as the Director of Systems Development, where he developed and implemented cost-effective solutions that drove consistent improvements across the company’s 11 manufacturing and distribution facilities. Marty headed the North American IT operations of Ridge Tool Company as Manager of Global Business Applications. His leadership led to the implementation of JD Edwards One World XE, driving savings of $13.5 million and an ROI of 53.4%. As the previous Director of Information Technology for Henkel Corporation, he led a team to stabilize critical systems platforms including JD Edwards, Manhattan, and Kronos that served to dramatically improve system uptimes. He managed eleven legacy ERP environments for Henkel with a staff of 36. Marty has his BA in Business Administration from Baldwin-Wallace College and an MS in Organizational Development from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He has been certified in APICS CPIM and in ITIL Foundation v3.0

Matt Santori has over 22 years of experience in ERP where he has held multiple roles such as: Consulting, Project Management, Business Development, Solution Architecture and Leadership. Prior to joining Ultra, Matt served as the VP of Consulting at an Oracle partner organization where he led the efforts of expanding their Oracle consulting practice.  Amongst other initiatives, Matt created an assimilation methodology which achieved proven results of enhancement within organizational alignment, governance, communication models and team structure.  Matt was also a Director at Accenture where he was responsible for sales and growth of the Oracle ERP business in North America, as well as responsible for redeveloping the Oracle / JD Edwards Practice from the ground up.  Matt’s leadership and practice development techniques helped facilitate the negotiations and closing activities for consulting engagements with Archer Daniels Midland, Disney and Pixar films.  Matt was responsible for establishing qualification and win strategies for multiple prospects, while coordinating the efforts of the consulting practices.  He feels privileged to have the opportunity to partner with both prospective & existing customers, as well as his colleagues, finding the right mix of people, process, and technology needed to meet strategic objectives.

Matthew Hull has more than 15 years of experience transforming businesses utilizing Lean methodology and effective use of technology.  With successful tenure as both the user and as a 3rd party support in ERP Implementation, Process Improvement, S&OP, Matthew has deep professional experience as an Operations Manager, Business Transformation, Leader Global Supply Chain Manager, Lean Six Sigma Manager.  Matthew holds a BS in Industrial Technology and Engineering from Ohio University; an MBA from Eli Broad College of Business – Michigan State University; Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certifications from University of Michigan, The George’s Group, and Black & Decker. He brings domain expertise in the areas of Automotive, Medical Devices & Products, Distribution, Industrial Equipment, Consumer Goods, Metal Fabrication, Electronics, Oil & Gas, including experience in internal and external consulting for Fortune 500 Company.

Neil Brody is a Supply Chain professional with significant industry expertise in consumer-packaged goods, medical devices and telecommunications. Through his leadership positions at American Greetings, Telsource Corporation, Invacare and NeuroControl, Neil has successfully guided organizations through business process transformations. In many projects, Neil leveraged process improvement and change management methodology and applied to the business environment, positively impacting operational excellence, cost containment, continuous improvement and cultural growth. He offers excellent organization and planning skills with a customer service focus. With deep domain experience in ERP and enterprise technologies, Neil’s proven competencies include Business Process Improvement; Project Management; Organizational Change Management; Cost Containment / Reduction; Quality; Lean Manufacturing, Operations, Logistics and more. Neil holds an MBA in Operations from Bowling Green State University and a BS in Business Administration and Management from John Carroll University. Neil is APICS-Certified in Integrated Resource Management -  CIRM and Certified in Production and Inventory Management - CPIM.

Paul Denmark has more than 30 years’ experience as a senior supply chain management leader with broad-based global experience in driving benchmark performance throughout several diverse manufacturing environments on a global basis.  Paul’s focus has been in driving new or enhanced ERP implementations, advanced supply chain planning and scheduling, demand management, procurement, distribution, engineering change control, and management of complex manufacturing operations across multiple plants, both as an industry practitioner and consultant. Paul has held positions as Industrial Engineering, Procurement and Planning Director at Eastman Kodak, Director of Supply Chain Strategic Initiatives at Avery Dennison, Director of Global Supply Chain at GrafTech (formerly Union Carbide), and VP of Supply Chain at the Elgin Fastener Group. He has extensive experience in make-to-stock, make-to-order and hybrid MTS/MTO manufacturing flows, as well as supply chain management, across multiple plants throughout the US, South America, Europe, Korea and China. Paul has led several major ERP implementations with an emphasis on driving excellence in supply chain planning and execution, not just by focusing on the software enhancements being implemented, but by upgrading the “thought-ware” of the organization to a higher level in order to take full advantage of the new capabilities being put in place. Paul holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University, an MS/MBA in Computer Integrated Manufacturing Management from Rochester Institute of Technology, and has been certified in APICS CPIM.

Peter Johnson has over 25 years of information technology and project management experience in manufacturing and distribution companies. Peter’s experience includes leading large projects for ERP, E-commerce, Business Intelligence, and PIM (Product Information Management). As Director of Information Technology for two leading Midwestern manufacturing companies, Peter was actively engaged in improving business performance by aligning technology to company strategy. Peter’s ERP implementation experience includes Microsoft Dynamics AX at Ariens Company and SAP at Paper Converting Machine Company. Peter also has significant business process improvement experience, having acquired Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training from the University of Texas and later graduating from the Ariens Lean University. Peter has a B.A. in Economics from Ripon College.

Rafael Calderon is a Project Management Professional specializing in Systems Implementation and Process Improvement in the Process Manufacturing sector, specifically Food & Beverage and Pharmaceuticals & Medical Device. Rafael has close to twenty years’ worth of implementation and consulting experience with over a hundred successful deployments under his belt. Throughout his professional life, he has worked with multiple ERP platforms, including PRISM/PROTEAN, PRMS/BPICS, EPICOR and MS Navision. Rafael started his career in Y2K compliance projects in the mid-to-late 90’s in Canada and the US, followed by a successful business consulting practice in the Pharma and Medical Device industry in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the mid 2000’s, Rafael became Senior Implementation Consultant/Project Manager for the implementation division of Bell Canada, where he led and delivered multiple enterprise-sized projects in Ontario. Later, he became a Senior Project Manager for IndustryBuilt/JustFoodERP where he successfully managed and completed over fifty ERP implementation cycles all throughout North America. Rafael has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from ITESM in Mexico City and a diploma in Systemic Thinking and Consulting Practice from the University of Humberside (now University of Lincoln) in the UK. Rafael holds CPIM and PMP certifications. In addition, he is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. He is a local food growth and preparation enthusiast. He is currently pursuing a degree in Culinary Sciences and a certification in Six Sigma.

Under the auspices of a strategic alliance with Ultra Consultants, Roberto is a Senior Consultant with nearly 20 years of experience working in the food industry as a quality assurance professional. He is skilled in strategic planning, systems development, project management, and team leadership. As a project manager for Kestrel’s food safety-related projects, Roberto supports clients in developing and implementing GFSI schemes and supplier approval programs, and brings his focus to meat, dairy, RTE, bakery, and other related food industry segments. Areas of expertise include: Food safety, quality assurance, GFSI certification, supplier management/approval programs, strategic planning, systems development, policy and procedure development, regulatory support, vendor management, export programs Roberto’s Education/Certification include: M.S. in Animal Production Science, University of Camerino (Italy); GFSI certified for FSSC 22000; ISO 22000:2005 Lead Auditor certified; ISO 9001 Internal Auditor certified; Food HACCP and Seafood HACCP certified; FDA – Food Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Food certified; fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish.

Scott Cabrera holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering with a concentration in Logistics and Supply Chain from Bradley University.  He has been exposed to numerous business functions in the distribution industry while employed at the nation’s largest food redistributor.  This experience has allowed him to develop strong analytical skills while managing multiple projects and a team of workers.  Some of his achievements include optimizing fleet performance reports which led to a 90% reduction in reporting time, developing a forecasted headcount for a warehouse expansion, increasing order picker productivity by 40%, and designing an ETA tool leading to a 44% reduction in process time.  Additionally, Scott has valuable experience in statistical process control, lean manufacturing, and business process improvement from his degree.  Scott is proficient utilizing analytical tools such as Minitab, R, Python, and Excel-VBA.

Sean Hull is a seasoned Project Manager with twenty years of comprehensive experience in senior-level management, implementing best practices throughout rapidly changing, highly competitive growth environments.  Sean offers the rare ability to serve as a liaison between developers, executive management and stakeholders to ensure expectations are clearly communicated and goals are met.  He is skilled in client needs assessment, product specification, risk analysis, budgeting and client-vendor relations. With a mix of solid experience in program management, software development, and enterprise systems support and maintenance, Sean is well versed in driving digital transformation throughout retail, eCommerce, distribution and manufacturing sectors.  Sean holds a BA from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business; Management Information Systems.   With a mix of solid experience in program management, software development, and enterprise systems support and maintenance, Sean is well versed in driving digital transformation throughout retail, eCommerce, distribution and manufacturing sectors. He has served as a successful Project Manager to implement systems from inception through live, with after live support.

Shannon has valuable project management, lean manufacturing, and supply chain process improvement experience in the chemical and medical device industries. She has worked on optimizing continuous flow manufacturing systems by employing strategies to eliminate down time and increase employee efficiency.  During her time at a Fortune 300 chemical company, Shannon spear-headed a 7% improvement in OEE and 20% increase in productivity, resulting in $2.2M of annual savings. She has utilized her technical abilities and leadership skills to manage large capital projects from ideation to completion, which has sparked her passion for change management in fast-paced environments.  Shannon earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Bioengineering from Pennsylvania State University where she graduated cum laude, with a minor in Engineering Leadership Development.

Tony Chalet is a highly accomplished supply chain professional with more than 27 years of combined progressive management roles and consulting experience with top ERP software products. Tony offers dynamic skills in strategic planning, organizational leadership, and project management. A tactical problem solver with a history of distinguished performance in successfully establishing more efficient methodologies, improving quality, and producing a positive impact to the bottom line, Tony has worked for industrial manufacturing organizations, medical device manufacturers and other leading manufacturing companies. Practical business application use coupled with multiple consulting roles for agile solutions. Well versed in ERP system functionality from top vendors, Tony is also a skilled leader in project management, vendor negotiations, training, shop floor control, warehouse management systems, production and inventory control and other key manufacturing and distribution functions. Tony has an MBA from Cleveland State University, a BBA in Operations Management from The University of Toledo, and is APICS Certified Production Inventory Manager (CPIM)

Tony is an operations, supply chain and change management professional with extensive experience managing and delivering successful Cost Reduction, Process Improvement and Profitability Enhancement projects. Tony brings decades of experience leading process improvement, cost reduction, operational excellence and organization change management engagement projects in supply chain, manufacturing and fulfillment operations. His tenure includes leadership roles in supply chain and operations for Sears Holdings Corporation, Ernst & Young, Motorola and other industry leading companies. As Ultra’s Senior Project Manager, Tony draws upon his deep experience managing strategic initiatives at manufacturing and distribution organizations with proven success in the areas of Process Improvement, Change Management, Fulfillment Operations, Profitability Enhancement, Manufacturing, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. Tony holds a Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering  Northwestern University and  Master of Management, MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Van Dang is a highly self-motivated and customer-oriented supply chain professional with strong analytical skills. Van strategically orchestrated cost effective and deadline-oriented supply chain procedures which exceeded business plans and manufacturing goals. With deep domain experience in manufacturing and supply chain for Schlumberger, Halliburton-Pinnacle and Bisco Industries, Van has successfully implemented continuous improvement projects including a project that lead to $1.7M in purchasing savings and another key project that increased GR/IR reconciliation by 300%.  Van holds a B.A. in Economics from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, Maryland. Van also offers advanced proficiency in the following systems: Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PPT, Visio, etc.) SharePoint, SAP/ERP, SAP Business Objects BI, SAP Ariba, Tableau, Oracle. Van is Bilingual  in English and Vietnamese.

Julie Rogier's marketing career has resided at the intersection of manufacturing and technology for multiple decades.  With deep domain experience in automotive, technology, engineering, manufacturing and enterprise software, Julie has worked for ERP, PLM and EDI vendors, as well as technology providers in the HR arena. She served as Vice President for a marketing agency supporting Chrysler and General Motors, and also in an agency setting providing content marketing, digital marketing, public relations, business-to-business marketing strategy to technology developers. With a BA in English from Michigan State University and an MBA with Honors from Oakland Unviersity, Julie started her career in broadcast management for several public broadcasting affiliates.

Dylan Howard graduated from ASU's W.P. Carey School of Business and is currently Business Development Manager at Ultra Consultants, helping mid-market manufacturers and distributors effectively tackle projects with process re-engineering, enterprise technology selection, change & risk management, program design, and implementation management services. He also holds a PMP Certification and understands how to organize and effectively run projects per PMI standards. Dylan has spent the last 15 years in both the sales and management fields. As General Manager of Timberline Fire he managed the day-to-day operations of the organization. He held the responsibility for developing partnerships and securing contracts with the Department of Agriculture and Arizona State Forestry, along with private organizations. As a certified NWCG trainer he is used to teaching in front of large groups. As Director of Sales at Ecolink Energy, he developed the sales program, managed the sales team, and developed sales strategy based on both environmental and fiscal feasibility.

Michael Chesin handles all vendor relationships for Ultra. He has over 8 years of sales and relationship management experience. He began his career in advertising, working primarily in digital strategy. From the advertising world, he moved to a marketing automation company where he led the channel sales department. While working with channel partners to assist in client marketing needs, Michael developed a passion for helping companies grow through technology. He has worked closely with major software vendors including Microsoft, Sage, Infor, Netsuite and Salesforce. He received his B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

Tim Griffin brings significant domain experience in enterprise resource technology in manufacturing and distribution.  He joined Ultra after more than ten years at Infor Global Solutions where he held the position of Sales-Business System Consultant. Tim has also worked at Oracle. Tim holds a BS degree in Purchasing and Materials Management from Bowling Green University and is certified in Production and Inventory Management from APICS.

Dennis Gilhooley Sr. has over 40 years of experience in supply chain management specializing in logistics and distribution management, third-party logistics (3PL), and demand planning. His experience includes managing transportation and 3PL projects for the Department of Defense and managing third party fulfillment for the US Mint. While at IBM, he managed a 70-person Logistics Service Area and led recruiting and training activities for the 800-person Public Sector Supply Chain Practice. While at a major consumer electronics firm, he managed all finished goods distribution activities including managing multiple 3PLs. His sales planning and marketing experience includes demand forecasting, product planning, market analysis, and market research. He has served on many marketing committees for the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) in Washington, D.C., and was the recipient of the EIA Marketing Services Award of Excellence. Dennis's education and certifications include: Certificate in Distribution Management, DePaul University; B.A. Mathematics, Culver-Stockton College; He is Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) with APICS.

Andrea Kelly is a Marketing Strategist who is responsible for managing, analyzing and consistently fine-tuning the systems and digital processes that support the customer experience and journey with Ultra. Andrea has a strong background in marketing and entrepreneurship with a BA from University of Michigan and MBA work at DePaul University. Prior to working at Ultra, Andrea has helped B2B and B2C businesses grow their brands, drive conversions, and connect to customers in creative ways. In her spare time, she likes to compete in chess tournaments, play bocce ball, and read autobiographies.

Kristen Renda serves as Marketing Program Manager, leading marketing programs including Ultra's webinar events, graphic design and multi-media content creation. Previously Kristen served as Ultra's inside sales and business development specialist cultivating new clients and optimizing customer satisfaction. With over 10 years of sales experience, Kristen has been involved in many areas of the sales spectrum including direct market, business development, and corporate events planning. Kristen has excelled at identifying client needs and creating lasting working partnerships. Kristen earned her BFA from Bowling Green State University and holds an MBA from Bowling Green State University's School of Business, nationally ranked among the top US business programs.

Erik McKillip is a Business Development Coordinator with extensive ERP best practice experience. Erik served as an Application Consultant and Business Development Representative at Epicor Software. As part of the Professional Services team, Erik helped implement Epicor’s flagship ERP software for companies in over 15 industries including the Aerospace & Defense, Medical Device, Metal Fabrication, Plastic, and Rubber industries. Before working as a consultant, Erik also worked in ERP sales at Epicor, driving business in the Midwest and Canadian territories.  Erik graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a degree in Business Administration. In his free time, Erik runs marathons, most recently the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon to support after-school fitness & nutrition programs for underprivileged youth.

Ehren Highfill is a Business Development Representative with over 10 years of customer relations and advocacy experience. His focus is to connect with prospects, obtain knowledge of their goals and educate them on the opportunities associated with ERP implementation. While working in group benefits at Liberty Mutual, he worked closely with companies such as Toyota and Amazon which provided insight into the world of lean manufacturing and distribution. In addition, Ehren served as a site champion at Liberty Mutual and was a top resource for the group’s transition into a lean management system. He was specifically tasked with researching and diagnosing the current state of group benefits and reported back to leadership with key objectives, opportunities and a list of best practices. This information was positioned for deployment to help achieve the vision outlined by the future state target. Ehren graduated in the top 10 percent of his class at Arizona State University with a BA in Mass Communication and Journalism.

Garrett Dandrea is a Business Development Coordinator with professional experience as an Applications Sales Representative at Oracle.  As part of the Oracle HCM Sales team, Garrett helped its customers transform the way they use technology to engage employees, maximize performance and drive business results. Now with Ultra, Garrett connects organizations to the resources, knowledge, and practices that ensure ERP projects achieve maximum ROI. Garrett offers advanced technical and business skills in developing solution proposals for business applications software solutions and related services to prospective and existing customers. With his extensive knowledge and successful interactions with C-suite executives of mid-market companies, Garrett is a strong team player with effective interpersonal /communication skills.  Garrett received his BS in Business Administration from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business. In his personal life, Garrett volunteers for "College Mentors for Kids" as their Head Fundraising Director and also as the Marketing Chair for "FisherCares Service Organization" both located in his alma mater hometown of Columbus, Ohio.  

Sydney Gallup is an Administrative Coordinator with Ultra Consultants, supporting the company’s efforts in HR, administration and marketing. She previously served in operations roles with multiple non-profits including Operations Associate for the non-profit advocacy organization Avaaz.  She spends her free time reading about non-profit strategy. Sydney received an undergraduate degree in sociology and a Master's in Social Work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Richard Reck is the founder and President of Business Strategy Advisors LLC (BSA), a business strategy consultancy that focuses on serving technology-based and entertainment companies. Mr. Reck serves as a member of the Board of Directors for several companies, including tronc, Inc. (formerly The Tribune Publishing Company), Interactive Intelligence, a public communications software company where he serves on the audit and compensation committees, and SilkRoad Technology, a venture backed SaaS software Company. In addition to these board positions, over recent years he has served as Chairman of Greenbrier & Russel, an Information Technology Services Company bought by Fujitsu, Advanced Life Sciences, a public biopharmaceutical development company where he served as the chairman of the audit committee, Merge Healthcare, a public health care software and information company where he served on the audit and compensation committees and chaired the nominating and governance committee that was sold to IBM, and Sivox Technologies, an eLearning call center software company that merged with Bankers Edge. Mr. Reck is also a registered Certified Public Accountant and was a partner with KPMG LLP, a Big Four CPA firm, for nearly 30 years, where he served as the National Director of the Software and Information Technology and Services Practice for a variety of clients, including companies like BorgWarner Corporation, Zebra Technologies, Inc., and Magnavox Corporation. Mr. Reck received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from DePauw University and an MBA in accounting from the University of Michigan.  

Verinder Syal has over 40 years of experience in working with companies to deliver exceptional results. He has been an Adjunct Faculty member at Northwestern University since 2006 where he teaches two courses in leadership and entrepreneurship. Mr. Syal is also a published author, having written the book Discover the Entrepreneur Within – A Step-By-Step Guide to Getting It Done. Prior to Syal’s work as an author and entrepreneur, he served as the CEO of several companies, including Rhymer Seafood and Stella Cheese. Mr. Syal also spent 19 years at The Quaker Oats Company, where held a variety of positions, including VP of Corporate Planning & Strategy, CEO of Golden Grain, a privately held company acquired by Quaker where under his direction sales reached $300 million, and President of the $2 billion Quaker Breakfast Foods Group, whose brands included Quaker Oats, Cap’n Crunch, and Aunt Gemima. Verinder Syal is the Past Chairman of WPO Chicago, a worldwide business organization, where he developed award winning educational programs. He has an MBA from the University of Michigan and an Engineering degree from MACT, India.  

Mr. Halperin has served as CEO of Coherent Networks International Inc., a software company specializing in the telecom industries. Prior to that, Mr. Halperin was the CEO of JBA International, a unit of JBA Holdings and global ERP software company based in the U.K., where he oversaw a successful IPO. When Mr. Halperin was Vice President of Sales, Services, and Marketing for System Software Associates (SSA), a provider of extended enterprise solutions and services, the company also went public during his tenure. Mr. Halperin spent time as Area Director for Wang Laboratories, a mid-range computer manufacturer, where he was responsible for sales, support, and administrative operations covering nine Midwestern states. Prior to that engagement, Mr. Halperin spent nine years at IBM Corporation in various marketing and management positions. Mr. Halperin has served on the board of directors of several companies both private and public, including Story Inc., JBA International, Advanced Graphical Applications, Airborne Control Technologies, Made2Manage, Coherent Networks International, Epigraph, Interactive Intelligence, and multiple SSA affiliates. Mr. Halperin graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, and acquired one year of credits toward an MBA in Marketing.